Sometimes we do this thing in our minds.
We watch an athlete and make an assessment — but with a qualifier.
Such as, John Klein is good for being a fill-in.
Or, John Klein is good for being a City2 player.
But watching City SC lately, maybe John Klein is just … good.
Of course, he was quite good at St. Louis University, where he was a third-generation soccer standout. But now, in America’s highest league, he’s making textbook touches and confident crosses with a combination of intellect and instincts.
OK, a couple more qualifiers — he was good in his first two starts, but the opponents were Vancouver and San Jose. Well, let’s talk Monday after he likely starts Sunday at Colorado, one of the better teams in Major League Soccer. Because here’s thinking Klein will continue to impact City — and elevate City.
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He’s one of those players who just passes tests.
“I can feel every minute I’m out there, I just get a little bit more confident with myself,” said Klein, the 5-foot-7 Missourian, who was signed to a first-team contract for the remainder of the 2024 MLS season. “You know, I have five games or something under my belt this year and early on, it was just sparing minutes at the end of games. But now, two starts in a row, I feel like I really belong.
![St. Louis City SC vs Colorado Rapids](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=150%2C101 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=200%2C135 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=225%2C151 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=300%2C202 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=400%2C269 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=540%2C364 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=640%2C431 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=750%2C505 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=990%2C667 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C697 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C808 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C898 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C994 1476w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/34/c34170f3-c85c-537c-bcda-6758971f5b35/6673d26cd0421.image.jpg?resize=1754%2C1181 2008w)
City SC midfielder John Klein collects a pass in the second half of a game against the Colorado Rapids at CityPark on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
“You know, I’m linking up with guys. I’m showing the fan base and the league what I’m about, what Johnny Klein can do on the field. And so, I think just my confidence continues to grow. And of course there are going to be setbacks, there are going to be difficult times, but I’m really enjoying these good moments right now.”
In the 2-0 win against San Jose, Klein arguably had City’s best shot and best pass … though he didn’t score or tally an assist.
In the first half, Klein received a pass at the top of the box. He cut the ball across a defender, almost like a basketball player unleashing a crossover dribble. Klein created space and lit a left-footed firecracker, which the goalie somehow saved.
“In those moments,” Klein said, “I think you’re just trying to put it on goal and put it with pace and make it hard for the goalie. And I felt like I did make it hard for the goalie — I felt like he made a pretty good save. It did look like it was going top corner for a second. That would have been a special moment. But it was a good save.”
And in the second half, St. Louis’ Hosei Kijima fed Klein, who delivered a pin-point accurate cross to Nokkvi Thorisson, right in front of the goal … and somehow Thorisson didn’t score.
“I thought Johnny had a great game,” City SC interim coach John Hackworth said Friday. “You know, I really liked the connection between him and Hosei. We kind of asked them to have the freedom to interchange at times. I liked it when I was watching it live — and when I watched the game back yesterday morning, I was even more impressed. You could see those two communicate a lot to each other.
“And when you have what’s called ‘a good mobility’ from a team, when you have guys who can interchange positions, it’s hard (to defend). I think imbalances that you could see that happen a lot just between John and Hosei specifically. Really happy for Johnny. Thank you to Kevin Kalish again for giving me a good idea to put them in the middle. And it worked out pretty well.”
Kalish, the great coach over at SLU, suggested that Klein play the “false nine” role for City SC. That has Klein at a center forward spot, but unlike a traditional striker, he drops back to help with the play-creation.
And City’s primary play-maker, Eduard Lowen, has welcomed Klein and mentored him a bit, too. Says a lot about Lowen.
“I mean, he’s just such a nice guy,” said Klein, 24. “And for a guy like myself who was on City2 for a year and a half, to come into the team, I think he respects me, he values me as a player. And to have high-level guy like that to just put his arm around me and want me to succeed, I think it makes me feel like I’m in the right place.”
City SC is in a very fascinating spot right now. The fellows played disjointed soccer for a while, but in the first game with Hackworth (albeit against last place San Jose), City looked strong. And as St. Louis tries to climb up the standings, it’ll get a reinforcement in mid-July with recently signed designated player Marcel Hartel.
Making the playoffs is crucial. Big-money designated players will be the difference-makers. But the impact of players such as Klein can sway a season.